Archives

Before starting technical development, test marketplace acceptance

Two powerful tools for testing marketplace acceptance of a new product idea and guiding technical development: Voice of the Customer and Customer Value Proposition

Voice of the Customer was the prime front-end marketing research tool for testing assumptions in 453 firms1. It eclipsed both customer site visits and beta testing tools for use in the “messy” front end of new product development.

Once you gather and analyze valid information on customers’ stated and latent needs by the Voice of the Customer process, the next front end task is to use these insights to build a convincing value proposition to guide technical development. A colleague, who has translated innovative ideas into three successful startups, tells MBA students that learning how to create a three-sentence value proposition to guide development of an idea is priceless.

Building a idea’s Customer Value Proposition is central to the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps’ new program2 for translating technologies into products. Begun in 2011; the Corps has worked with 300 teams to speed up commercialization of the $125 billion of research underwritten by the US government.

Voice of the Customer

I first learned about the Voice of the Customer tool in 1989 at a PDMA conference in New York City. Abbie Griffin presented her early findings on using this tool for judging marketplace acceptance of a new product idea. She published her work on Voice of the Customer in 1993.3

My experience is that 40 elicitation interviews develop statistically meaningful insights about marketplace acceptance of technology and marketing assumptions. By the 40th interview, the 5-10 top-level unmet and latent customer needs for the idea are identified and a deep understanding of a B2B product idea’s commercial opportunities is gained.

Over the past twenty-six years, Voice of the Customer like other front-end research tools, has collected some weak interpretations. When I asked how many customer interviews his firm normally does to test assumptions, one practitioner with the title of Manager, Voice of the Customer said “ Oh we know what the customer wants. I look at some (multi-client) research reports and I represent the customer on our portfolio planning meetings.”

Perhaps the words of Thomas Edison should be heeded.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work”

Building a convincing three sentence value proposition4

Sentence 1: Market, needs product and benefits

The first phrase in the first sentence identifies the target of the idea. There is no value without an intended customer in mind.

The second phrase shows what the customer needs.

The third phrase identifies your idea.

The fourth phrase describes the benefit of your idea as it fills the needs of your intended customer. This is sometimes difficult and can be addressed by asking “why” your customer needs your idea.

Sentence 2: Competitive ability and advantage

The first phrase of the second sentence describes the advantage of your idea.

The second phrase explains what is different from the competition.

Sentence 3: Request

The third sentence makes clear what you want your intended audience to do.

A value proposition is an internal document, not for external distribution. It acts as a guide ensuring consistent messaging inside and outside the firm on the value delivered by the idea.

Product developers can use the value proposition to guide technical development of the idea. They may also use it creating marketing communications and sales proposals to early adopters. My experience is the Thomas Edison quote also applies to value proposition creation.